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Fiscal cliff: Compromise is possible, and other opinions from the editorial board

Associated Press Governors call for action. President Barack Obama, flanked by National Governors Association Chair, Delaware Gov. Jack Martell, and Vice Chair, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, meets with the governors' executive committee regarding the fiscal cliff on Tuesday. State economies would suffer from the double hit of tax increases and spending cuts set for next year.

Following the presidential election, there were initial signs of hope that Congress and the president could come to a grand bargain on the fiscal crisis we are facing.

Called the fiscal cliff, a series of tax increases and spending cuts could take place all at once, throwing the nation back into a recession.

Instead, we need serious spending restraint combined with smart revenue increases that deal with the deficit in a long-term way without taking all the medication at once.

One would hope that Congress and the president could find a mediator trusted by both sides to negotiate a budget settlement, backing away from the fiscal cliff.

Such a settlement could have some of the following traits:

- Start with areas of agreement, such as keeping the Bush tax cuts for all but the top 2 percent of earners and the spending cuts agreeable to both sides. That gives you a starting point.

- Put off more complicated tasks, such as comprehensive tax reform, until next year but with a trigger so that something must be done before the next political season in 2014.

- Then both sides should give the same proportional amount on areas important to their bases. For instance, Republicans could give on small tax rate increases for the top 2 percent while Democrats give on entitlement reform.

That is not the only recipe for success, but it illustrates why a compromise should not be as difficult as it seems to be at the moment.

In recent weeks, business leaders have encouraged a settlement as well as leading governors. What will it take to force real compromise? More pressure from the public.

The uncertainty is holding down the economy.

Hopeful economic indicatorsIf Congress and the president don’t mess it up, the economy is poised for new growth. According to The New York Times:

- Consumer confidence is at a five-year high.

- Household debt has fallen to the lowest point since the mid-2000s.

- In the first half of this year, Americans took out more car loans than any time since 2007.

Civility on life supportDid you know that Congress has a civility caucus? There are only 14 members, reports The New York Times. In contrast, there are 200 members in the Congressional Wine Caucus.

Superficial state reportThe governor’s task force on the Stand Your Ground law couldn’t be a bigger disappointment. After considering more than 9,000 pieces of correspondence, 550 phone calls, 60 comment cards and 140 public comments, the task force produced few substantial recommendations.

Apparently intimidated by the thought they might be stepping on the toes of the Legislature, the task force’s report was timid in both language and substance.

There “may be” unintended consequences and misapplication of the law, the report said. “May be?”

The problem with the law is a lack of clarity, allowing it to be interpreted way beyond the bounds of reasonable self-defense.

The task force did suggest better standards for neighborhood watch groups, making clear that there often is no training for participants and that participants should not be pursuing suspects.

What the Legislature should do is invite a group of prosecutors from the state to suggest modifications in the law.

It is reasonable not to require someone to flee if they are threatened, but that should not be interpreted so broadly that it results in the Wild West shoot-outs on Florida’s streets.

They said it couldn't be doneThe success of Israel’s anti-missile system is astounding. Called Iron Dome, it was doomed to fail, Pentagon experts said.

Instead of using an American system, Israel developed its own, cheaper system that has had an 84 percent success rate in shooting down small missiles that are just a few feet long and a few inches wide.

The system had to detect one of these rockets the instant it was fired, pinpoint its likely strike destination, determine it if was going to hit a populated area, then blast it out of the sky. All within 15 seconds, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The fact that it worked not only saved many Israeli lives, it probably prevented an invasion of Gaza by Israeli troops. All in all, an impressive feat.